1743
At the beginning of this year we find Warburton working for Pope on the commentaries for the projected quarto edition of the poet's works — working especially on the Essay on Man and the Essay on Criticism. We find Pope, in turn, still working in vain to secure for Warburton the coveted Oxford degree. The revised Dunciad was in print early in the year, but publication was delayed because the copyright did not revert to Pope until October. Bolingbroke made during this year two visits to England, a brief one in the spring and a longer one beginning in October. Pope's health made further winter journeys to Bath unadvisable, and instead he visited Allen in the summer. In July we find Warburton, Pope, and Martha Blount guests at Widcombe. Pope presently left to join George Arbuthnot, evidently in some annoyance because Pope had requested and had been refused one of Allen's houses in which Pope and Arbuthnot might temporarily live. When he left Prior Park and Miss Blount remained behind, something like a quarrel between the hosts and the remaining guest took place, and the rest of the year letters to Allen (and doubtless from him — not preserved) worked gradually towards a reconciliation. Warburton remained at Prior Park until September. When Bolingbroke arrived in October, Pope began spending much time away from Twickenham, either with Murray in London or with Marchmont and Bolingbroke at Battersea. Throughout the year Pope's health was increasingly bad: asthma got worse and dropsy appeared.
January
POPE to THE EARL OF ORRERY
13 January 1742/3
The Pierpont Morgan Library
London | Jan. 13. 1742/3.
My Lord, — I cannot, in pure Shame, delay one post, to acknowledge both my own Omission, and your Generosity, in putting me thus kindly in mind how defective I have been, in not writing to you. I enquired at my Coming to Town of the young Gentlemen at Westminster, who were gone just then for Marston, and two days since again of Dr Johnson†1 after the Time of your Return, who said he expected it would be very soon. This stopt me from doing, what I wish I had done that post, that your Lordship might have seen I thought of you the same day that you thought of me. In truth, I had a very particular reason to have troubled you; I correct myself, for nothing of this kind ever was a Trouble, but a Joy to you. It was that we think a Way is open by which you may do an honour to a Man of the Greatest Merit, and redeem the disgrace of a whole University. You are not to
be now told, that the Vice Chancellor Dr Leigh & several Heads of Houses sent & offerd Mr Warburton the degree of a Dr of Divinity,†1 when he had no such Expectation, after which it was monstrously refused by the unaccountable Dissent of 2 or 3. Dr King either has, or will acquaint you of the particulars. He met me the other day, & desird it might be brought on again by your Lordship's engaging Lord Arran to send a Recommendation to that purpose, (the present Vice Chancellor being much Mr W's friend). This it seems is a customary Method, and surely nothing is more reasonable, after such a Conduct, toward a Man of his Eminence, & unblemished Character.
I am sure I need only make you an Apology for not mentioning this to you sooner.
All your Lordship tells me of your Enjoyments at Marston, truly pleases me, but with the allay, of finding it will be long before I shall be happy in yours & Lady O.'s company: and I tell you truly, I never wanted the Comfort of Such Company, so much, here as this Winter: indeed All honest Company is a rarity, but principally among Gentlemen. I think this one Sentence includes a General account of all Publick affairs. I have seen and heard, what makes me shut my Eyes, & Ears, and retire inward into my own Heart; where I find Something to comfort me, in knowing it is possible some men may have some Principles. I wish I had been no where but in my Garden; but my weak Frame will not endure it; or no where but in my Study; but my weak Eyes cannot read all the Evening. I pick up a poor Scholar or two, who can get no Employment, to sit & read to me, and I drink in return with them, especially if they are of the University, sometimes rather too much (for me I mean.) I am really glad the Gout has treated your Lordship as you deserve, that is so moderately. You have Another Companion, that will make any thing supportable, even any Pain or Misfortune, (tho God send them both far from you!) I hope She is perfectly well, & perfectly happy you will make one another. I can never sufficiently acknowledge both hers & your perpetual Favours & Remembrances shown me. I could write not a Letter but a Book of them, they are so many, and so fully imprinted on my memory. As to any thing else I shall write, it will be very little, and very faint. I have lost all Ardor and Appetite, even to Satyr, for no body has Shame enough left to be afraid of Reproach, or punish'd by it. And Cibber himself is the honestest Man I know, who has writ a book of his Confessions, not so much to his Credit as St Augustine's, but full as
True, & as open. Never had Impudence and Vanity so faithful a Professor. I honour him next to my Lord ——
Pray, since you do not come yet, at least let me know when you may? that I may know Some happiness I may expect, and hear something I may Believe. Adieu my dear Lord. remember Mr Warburton & (in Him) Me that I may not be ashamed of having a Degree hereafter. I am Ever Your Lordships & Lady Orrery's. | A. Pope
Endorsement (by Lord Orrery at the top of page 1): Mr Pope. | Concerning Mr Warburton. | Dr K[in]gs desire, that I would apply | to Lord Arr: in Mr Wn's favour.
POPE to WARBURTON†1
18 January [1742/3]
Egerton 1946
Twitnam. Jan. 18
I am forced to grow every day more Laconic in my Letters, for my Eyesight grows every day shorter & dimmer. Forgive me then that I answer you summarily; I can even less bear an equal part, in a Correspondence, than in a Conversation, with you. But be assured once for all, the more I read of you, as the more I hear from you, the better I am instructed and pleased. And this Misfortune, of my own Dulness & my own Absence, only quickens my ardent Wish that some good Fortune would draw you nearer, & enable me to enjoy both, for a greater part of our Lives, in this Neighbourhood; & in such a Situation, as might make more Beneficial Friends than I, Esteem & enjoy you equally.
⸢I consulted Mr Murray on your Question as to writing to Sir T. H.†2 We agreed you should not, as it was a thing not even to be surmized, that any Man of honour could dream of. But I have enquird farther, & am assured from one who hath seen the Copy, that there are No Notes whatsoever to it, but a Removal only of one word for another, as he thinks fitting. The Heads of some houses have subscribed for
100, & 50, at 3 guineas the book, which they refund by putting them off to the Gentlemen Commoners: and this way the Press is payed. One Good Consequence will attend the printing it, which is, that it will determine the Book to be no Booksellers property, if Tonson does not contest it: & the way will be open to any whom you chuse to deal with, or to yourself, if you prefer to take the whole on yourself.
⸢You might be certain I omitted not to write to Lord Orrery†1 but I retarded it, till I had spoken again to Dr King, who perhaps should hear again from you, tho I hope it is not necessary.⸣
I have again heard from Lord Ba.†2 & another hand, that the Lord I writ to you of,†3 declares an Intention to serve you. My answer (which they related to him) was, that he would be sure of your Acquaintance for life, if once he served or obliged you; but that I was certain you would never trouble him with your Expectation, tho he would never get rid of your Gratitude.
⸢I have delayed a while longer the publication of the Dunciad,†4 but shall put Bowyer directly on the Edition of the Ethic Epistles; and I think it will be a more dignify'd Method of declaring your intention of a General Commentary, before That, than before This Poem⸣.†5
Dear Sir, adieu, and let me sometimes be certifyd of your Health. My own is as usual; and my Affection the same. Always Yours. | A. P.
Pray will the following lines†6 answer your Idea? or can you bring them to it with a little alteration?
Ask of the Learn'd the way, the Learn'd are blind,
This bids to serve, & that to shun mankind;
Some place the Bliss in Action, some in Ease,
Apathy
†1 Those call it Pleasure, and†2 Contentment these:
†1 Some sunk to Beasts, find Pleasure end in Pain;
†2 Some swelld to Gods, confess ev'n Virtue vain;
†3Or indolent, to each extreme they fall,}Qu
To trust in every thing, or doubt of all}Qu
One trusts the Senses, and one doubts of all.}Qu
1 Epicur
2 Stoics
3 Sceptic
Who thus define it, say they more or less,
describe
Than this, that Happiness is Happiness?
Take Nature's path, &c.
— in no Extreme they dwell &c
February
POPE to FORTESCUE†1
February 1742/3
1797 (Polwhele, i. 324)
Sunday evening, Feb. 1743.
I have been disappointed much to-day, in not being able to wait on you: and as I apprehend you sit every other day, so that you are not at leisure in the afternoon, and I dare not be abroad at night, I beg to know if I may dine with you to-morrow? No man is with more respect or affection, dear Sir, yours, always, | A. P.
POPE to THE EARL OF ORRERY
9 February 1742/3
The Pierpont Morgan Library
My Lord, — I dare say your Humanity & Generous Spirit is offended, as well as mine, at such a Demonstration of the Malignity of Dulness, which is never so rancorous as under the Robe of Learning,†2 One would think the Clergy were sworn to hate each other, instead of to love each other. But we have done our best, & must acquiesce under such Heads as God is pleasd to put over us, that the Weak ones of this world may confound the Strong. Mr W. shall know his Obligations to your Lordship & to Lord Arran, whose letter I return you.
I am extremely mortifyd at your Retirement, & the more, as I fear the Taste of passing a whole Winter better than almost any Nobleman can, or ought, may influence you for the future, & I shall lose both you & my Lady for the few Winters I have to live, & in which I expect yearly less & less Comfort. I instantly obeyed you as to the Subscribing for the Book, which I impowerd Dodsley to do: but he seems hardly to know whether it goes on or not. If it was Lady O.'s command,†3 I would not only subscribe to, but cry up, any Poet, of any Kingdom; or any King's Poet or Historiographer, (the two greatest Lyers in Literature.) Our poor Friend in the Park is extremely ill,†4 both corporeally & mentally; & I fear her Poet will soon shed real Tears for her, as he will be of no use to any other Princess or Potentate
whatsoever: Her Fate has been hard upon her, but not so hard as herself, for her Passions have overturn'd Mind & Body.
If ever I can form a possible hope of seeing you at Marston, it must be in the Summer; and I think there is a probability of my being about Bath next July or August. But sure, my Lord, you will just come & look at Jericho once more, before it falls at the Sound of the Third Trumpet. Two have called aloud upon her, & shook her Walls alredy.
I would give you an account of Some of your acquaintance, but I dare not: of others, but I will not. And I have nothing left, but to cry out (with the Christian Congregation) Let us Pray!
I am not publishing any new thing, but whatever I publish, (past, vamp'd, future, old or revived) it shall surely be sent you the moment the press has it. I write at Tw. the same day your Lordships letter reach'd me, (which past thro' Mr Sollicitors hands†2 & was by him forwarded hither) or I should perhaps recollect something more. But Tw. is the place of Forgetfulness, of all but such as I love, & those [now]†1 are few. Believe me, while I have a being, | Your Lordships ever faithfully, | A. Pope.
Feb. 9th 1742/3.
Address: To | the Rt Hon. the Earl of Orrery. | at Marston, near | Froome, | Somersetshire
Postmark: 10/FE
Endorsement: Mr Pope. | Feb: 9. 1742/3.
*POPE to GEORGE ARBUTHNOT
12 February [1742/3]
Harvard University
Twitnam. Feb. 12
This short note is just to ask you how you both do? and to tell you that when the Term is expird if you care to see the Country this wholsome cold weather I shall be glad to attend you. As for your Sister she is too chill a creature to be of that society, as yet, except she has Mr. Murray to warm her with a Dispute.
If you have any more Screens, pray let me have two of them, for the assistance of a Lawyer or two, whose Lucubrations are of Importance. I am | Dear Sir | Ever yours, | A. Pope
Let the black wax make amends for the red wafer.
Address: To | Mr Arbuthnott, in | Castle Yard
THE EARL OF ORRERY to POPE
16 February 1742/3
Harvard University
Marston Feb: 16: 1742-43.
Sir, — Enclosed†1 I send you my last efforts for our learned, our too learned, Friend. whatever success my Letter may have I am joyfull in an opportunity in shewing my regards to You and to Mr Warburton.
The Thoughts of seeing You here gives me true pleasure. I hope You will find our Roads less uneasy than they are represented. Consider, they are the Roads to Peace, to Solitude, and to Friendship. When you are here, altho' you may have jumbled over some Stones, and waded through some mire, you will find our Situation good, our Air wholesome, and the House, its Master, and his Territories all your own.
Since my Arrival from Bath I received very melancholy accounts of our Friend in the Park,†2 in confirmation of the hints you gave me. her Situation is deplorable. Death only can give relief to Passions of that soart. but I observe that People in her disposition of mind live generally to a great Age. "The days of Women are threescore years and ten, and if they be so strong to attain to fourscore years, yet is their Strength then but Madness or Folly."
I think so little of the great World, and am so pleased with my retirement that unless to see you I know nothing could make me wish myself a Single day from Marston, where every mortal is, as I am, Dear Sir, | your very faithfull | and obedient Servant | Orrery.
Heading: To Alexdr: Pope Esq;.
*POPE to GEORGE ARBUTHNOT†3
[1742/3]
Harvard University
Tuesday night
I was in great hope you'd have come on Munday. Tuesday is gone over too, & the unlucky Time of the Watermans going will make it too late to ask it I fear to morrow, being Wensday. Let it then be Thursday, but as I expected you to pass 2 or 3 days at least with me, I have put off Lord Bolingbroke & Lord Marchmont (who are to lye & stay some days here) till Friday, & will till Saturday. As to Mr Murray, if he come a day sooner, I have room for you both. But if you will not
stay now & perhaps can nex[t] week, let the Party be put off till then; & I'll ingage the Lords the sooner, so that they'l be gone, by the time you can come. Mrs Blount writes me word, she'l accomodate herself wholly to you. But I insist on your being left here for what time you can. I am your Sisters faithfully, & Dear Sir, that does not hinder me from being Entirely Yours. | A Pope.
Address: To Mr Arbuthnot.
March
*POPE to ALLEN
12 March [1742/3]
Egerton 1947
March 12
I don't care to be always complaining, but so it is, that my Eyes grow so weak it is almost a pain to me to write a common letter. I often wish to say much to you as if we were conversing, & principally to tell you my Sentiments of Men and Things, but this difficulty becomes insuperable. I shall the sooner be obliged to live more with, or near you. Mr & Mrs Arb: seem very happy in the prospect of next Vacation, & I believe that will be the time that will best suit Mrs Blount, they may travel all together, & all your Engagements & Business will be over, so as to leave Yourself & Mrs Allen at fuller Liberty. I made your Compliment fully to Lord Oxford,†1 & am surprized at the others Carelessness, but I am less surprized, since his head has been so busy with a sort of Cares, that generally men of this world prefer to those of Friendship. One of my Tribulations was, that you had not the Bottles so soon as the Italian promised, but I sent them the moment he had them. Our Rusticks have fallen short, & I am unwilling to give you more trouble, but, I could dispose of as many more as the last Cargo, if they would cutt them off from the large block, so as to lessen the expense of the Carriage. I hope you have been as free from the headake as I, of late: pray always, when you are well, give me the pleasure to say so, & to tell me Mrs Allen is as happy too as I wish you both. — The death of poor Brinsden has really grieved me:†2 he was the most faithfull Friend as well as Servant to his Lord, in the most trying Times, & has withstood all Temptations, as manfully as he supported all Pains. Those we call the Great seldome can boast of any degree of Virtue like this. — I have not writ to Mr Warburton of late, tho I've heard much more about that very worthy & goodnatured Lord†3 who takes so much pains to obtain him a dignity at Oxford which you
& I set no high value on. I would not give our Excellent & Respectable Friend any uneasiness about what deserves not his Thought, but I am told at last it will be given him. I would much rather tell him what both you & I wish performed by another Lord†1 (in whose Word however I do not put the Trust you do.)
The Weather has been so sharp, that happening to be taken in it at Twitnam, I have been kept there lockd up these 8 days, & made great progress in my Grotto, which yet will not be quite finishd till Easter. I hope whenever Mrs Allen begins her works of that sort, they will be sooner brought to perfection, & I will attend them as diligently as my own, in the Autumn, before it is too cold. I heartily wish you & her all the injoyments of the approaching Spring which I long for impatiently. I am Ever Yours. | A. P.
*LORD MARCHMONT and POPE to SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH
13 March 1742/3
Blenheim
Madam, — Having shew'd Mr Pope the Letter I had the honour to receive from your Grace,†2 as he is equally concerned with me in it, & in every thing that affects you, I am from this line forward to hold the pen in both our names.
We cannot but approve, & increase our esteem of your Grace, for the justice you do yourself to be satisfied with your own Company, tho' it be some injustice to ourselves, wholly to be deprived of it. you might at least have suffer'd us now & then to have consulted you as an Oracle in the Woods; your prophecys have proved so true in regard to some Men, of our acquaintance, who will have nothing to do with the woods, as long as they can stick to any post in Court, Having taken the same resolution with regard to the Country, as you have done with regard to the Town. But since like an Errant Sibyl as you are, you give your answers in writing, rather than by word of mouth, We have nothing to do but to explain your words, as people always did those of other Oracles, in the sense that most flatter'd themselves. So Mr Pope & I in spite of you resolve to be happy. Now as to your health & situation
Madam, seeing that your Mind is so free from What affects your body, as appears by your Letter, We cannot help flattering ourselves, that we may be admitted to converse with a Soul that is certainly immortal if any Soul be so; & that the body out of which it talks at this rate is yet in tennantable repair, & fitt to enjoy any reasonable conversation. As your friend Socrates gave a stronger proof of the immortality of his Soul by his unconcern for all the pains of his body, than by all his arguments in his last dialogue; We are very desirous of being Eyewitnesses, of that same kind of proof from you Madam, which will establish us all in that belief we jointly entertain, tho' We imagine we are all equally ignorant what Soul is. And for this reason We persuade ourselves that your Grace as the head of our School of philosophy, will not fail to send for us, to give us this legacy before your death. And if we then find you not fully satisfied, We'll desire Hook to be ready with a priest in the next room, As we are not only your most Submissive scholars, but with all truth | Your Graces | most faithfull & most | obedient Servants | Marchmont | A. Pope.
Battersea 13th March | 1742/3
*POPE to HUGH BETHEL†1
20 March 1742/3
Egerton 1948
March 20. 1743.
My dear Friend, — Since the first Letter I sent you in fulness of Heart for the Joy you gave me in so sudden an alteration of your health, and which consisted but of few words, (as indeed none could express the Satisfaction) I have delayd writing any account of my own health which I knew would occasion as much uneasiness to you, as yours had given comfort to me. For I have these 3 months or more, been advancing to an Asthmatic Complaint, (from one Cold to another, as I believe, for I saw no further Cause for it.) It is now at such a height, that I can scarce walk, or go up a pair of Stairs, or move much in my bed, without quite losing breath; And it is attended with a difficulty of urine, which makes me fear a Dropsy (the quantity I make is daily so much diminished), & a pain in the Breast is joynd to it, which I would willingly impute to Wind.†2 I may now, without much Merit, think of you every day; but I assure you, it was no more than I did, before I had any such reason to reflect on what you suffer'd.
I thank you twice for your Present of Seeds, for those I did not
receive, & for these I did, with which I have enrichd not my own Garden only, but some of my Friends. My Landlady Mrs Vernon being dead,†1 this Garden & House are offerd me in sale, & I believe, (together with the Cottages on each side my Grassplot next the Thames), will come at about 1000 pounds. If I thought any very particular Friend would be pleased to live in it after my death (for as it is, it serves all my purposes as well during life) I would purchace it; & more particularly could I hope two things; that the Friend who should like it, was so much younger, and healthier than myself as to have a prospect of its continuing his, some years longer than I can of its continuing mine. But most of those I love, are travelling out of the world, not into it; and unless I had such a view given me, I have no Vanity nor pleasure that does not stop short of the Grave. The Duchess of Buckingham has thought otherwise, who orderd all manner of Vanities for her own funeral,†2 & a Sum of Money to be squanderd on it, which is but necessary to preserve from starving many poor people to whom she is indebted. I doubt not Mrs Pratt†3 is as much astonishd as you or I, at her leaving Sir Robert Walpole her Trustee, & Lord Hervey her Executor, with a Marriage Settlement on his Daughter, that will take place of all the Prior debts she has in the world. All her private Papers & those of her Correspondents are left in the hands of Lord Hervey, so that it is not impossible another Vol. of my Letters may come out:†4 I am sure they make no part of her Treasonable Correspondence, (which they say she has Expressly left to him) but sure this is Infamous Conduct towards any common acquaintance. And yet this Woman seem'd once, a Woman of great honour & many generous Principles. I know you are one of those that will burn every Scrap I write to you, at my desire, or I really should be præcluded from performing the most common offices of Friendship, or even writing that I esteem & love any man.†5
There never passes a Week but Mrs Blount & I talk of you, think of you, & pray for you. The Repetitions from several hands of your continuing to amend have been much the most welcome news I have had these 2 years. Every thing & every body here grow worse, God send You better & better! When do you think of drawing nigher to us? I shall soon see Mr Moyzer & be some time in his neighborhood at Bath, if I can get off this Complaint at my breast, &c. and then [I ho]pe to have the most frequent & particular accounts of you. I could
be very glad, methinks, if after a Friendship of so many years, in the whole Course of which no one Mistake, no one Passion, no one Interest has arisen, to interrupt our constant, Easy, & open Comerce; if it were yet reserved for us to pass a year or two together in a gentle Walk down the Hill, before we lye down to rest: The Evening of our days is generally the calmest, & the most enjoyable, of them.†1 In that hope, I would fain believe you have been preserv'd, & that I may be preserved: For besides the mutual Communication of wellmeaning Hearts, I know nothing at our Age worth living for. I am tender of giving your Eyes too much trouble in writing, but let the lines be ever so few, if they confirm the assurance of your Recovery, 'tis all I wish, who am with the greatest truth and cordial affection | Dear Sir, Entirely yours. | A. Pope.
Address: A Monsieur | Monsieur Bethel | Chez Mons. Belloni | Banquier | à Rome
Postmark: [Illegible]
*POPE to SLINGSBY BETHEL
22 March 1742/3
Arthur A. Houghton, Jr.
March 22. 1742/3.
Not knowing if your Brothers Direction continue still the same, I trouble you to superscribe this.†2 and if the Bearer finds you, you may do me the favor to pay him the little you owe me, which I find was due the second of this month, and have inclosed this receit. If he misses you, it may be kept by you till we meet, or paid Mrs Blunt next month when hers is due, which is the same thing, my times of being in town being renderd uncertain, thro' a very bad cold & fevrish complaint. Believe me Ever Yours. A. Pope
March 25. 1743. Receivd of Mr Slingsby Bethel a years Interest on 700ll in full to the second day of this March, one thousand seven hundred & forty three.†3 | A. Pope.
Address: To | Mr Slingsby B[ethel]
POPE to WARBURTON†4
24 March [1742/3]
Egerton 1946
Twitenham Mrch 24
I write to you, among the very Few I now desire to have my Friends, merely, Si valeas, valeo. Tis in effect all I say, but it is very literally
true, for I place all that makes my Life desirable in Their welfare. I may truly affirm that Vanity or Interest have not the least share in any Friendship I have, or cause me now to cultivate that of any one Man by any one Letter. But if any Motive should draw me to flatter a Great Man, it would be to save the Friend I would have him serve, from doing it. Rather than lay a deserving person under the necessity of it, I would hazard my own Character, & keep His in Dignity. Tho' in truth I live in a time when no Measures of Conduct influence the Success of one's applications, & the best thing to trust to is Chance & Opportunity.
I only meant to tell you, I am wholly yours, how few words soever I make of it. A greater pleasure to me is, ⸢the Thought⸣ that I chanced to make Mr Allen so, who is not only worth more than†1 ⸢half the greatest men in the kingdom,⸣ intrinsically, but I foresee will be effectually more a Comfort & Glory to you every year you live.†2 My Confidence in any Man, less truly great than an Honest one, is but small: ⸢& it has been long that I have preachd to all my worthyest acquaintance of such men Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.⸣
I have lived much by myself of late, partly thro ill health & partly to amuse myself with little Improvements in my Garden & house, to which possibly I shall (if I live) be soon more confined. ⸢Bowyer is going on with the Quarto Edit: of the Essay.⸣†3 When the Dunciad may be publishd I know not⸢, there being some Contest about the Expiration of Lintots date,†4 nor am I much concernd at the delay⸣. I am more desirous of carrying on the best, that is your Edition of the Epistles & Essay on Crit. &c. I know it is there I shall be seen most to advantage; but I insist on one Condition, that you never think of this, when you can imploy yourself in finishing that Noble work of the Divine Legation, (which is what above all, iterum iterumque monebo†5) or any other useful Scheme of your own.
It would be a Satisfaction to me at present, only to hear that you have supported your health among these Epidemical disorders, which tho not mortal to any of my friends, have afflicted almost every one.
⸢Adieu, & know me for Yours. | A. Pope⸣
⸢You guess right as to the Verses sent that silly fellow,†6 It was done
by a friend of mine, who had your opinion of his Impenetrability, & judg'd more truly of him than I confess I did. I begin to be more scrupulous of hurting him, & wish him more Conscientiously impudent.⸣
Address: To the Revd Mr Warburton | at | Newark
*POPE to ALLEN
24 March [1742/3]
Egerton 1947
March 24th
I write this Letter the sooner, to prevent your sending Isaac too soon. Whatever particularity Mr Scot may have in removing his Pines so early, my Gardiner & all others hereabouts will not venture till the Season is better established & advanced. It will therfore do Isaac no harm to stay a little longer before he comes, and it will do Joseph†1 no harm to stay a little longer before he marries.
As to the Rusticks, (which tho they would finish all my Front with perfect beauty, I am half unwilling to trouble you further for) the same Quantity of six Tun weight as I last had, will accomplish all; provided they cutt off the Thick & useless part of the Stones, it's no matter of what sizes, (for we can piece them as well, if not very small) but John says those Stones are best that come from the side of the hill, not from the Top, which are too rude & large.
The Illness of my Lord Orrery gives me much concern. I beg you will sometimes see him:†2 he is a very esteemable Man, & zealous beyond Example in this age, in serving any worthy person. I desire you to tell him how earnestly I wish to hear of his recovery, & pray acquaint me how you find him. I have at last yielded to the distemper which has seized almost every body here, & am layd up at Twitnam these 7 days, with all the troublesome Symptoms about me. The worst is an excessive shortness of breath & pain in the breast, but I'm tired of tiring my friends with Complaining. I find, even at home, the Want of such a Nurse as Mrs Allen is, not to you only, but to me. I assure you all ones great Friends & great Philosophers put together, are not half so great a Comfort, as one good Woman, in these circumstances; & so tell Dr Cheyne, & Dr Hartly†3 too if you please, for I think
neither of 'em will be angry at this; tho many Doctors would, who have the Vanity to think themselves Better as well as wiser than Women. I conclude in the sincerest assurance of my Esteem & Love for you both, hers, & your faithfull Friend & Servant. | A. Pope.
Pray remember me to Mr Moyser.
Address: To Ralph Allen Esq at | Widcombe | near | Bath.
Postmark: 24/MR
Endorsement (in Allen's hand):†1 Sir Thos White | The Stone Cutter | The Free School.
*POPE to ALLEN
[c. 30 March 1743]
Egerton 1947
I know you'l be content with a few words, when they can tell you what you most desire to hear, the Welfare of a Friend. I have had a fever, as well as all the forms of this prevailing distemper, but by Dr Broxolms help, who of his own accord made me Visits, I am cured: so much, that this day I go to London, to comfort another (if I can) who really every way wants it, Mrs Blount, whose Mother I believe is dying.†2 What she will resolve or not resolve upon, in that case, God knows! I am sure she should not ingage her Life or Fortune with her Sister, & yet I apprehend she will scarce out of Compassion leave her, just upon it. I received the 2 chairs & think them very Easy — I have since from Mrs Allen the Oysters, & such Oysters (for ill as I was, I could not help tasting 'em) as neither the Oisters of Tenby, nor of all Wales put together, no nor the Oysters so admird by the Romans, from our Rutupian shores,†3 nor — in short nothing that bore the name of Oysters ever could equall.
A Praise as high as this has been given Your Rusticks, by the Greatest Judge Mr Kent, who prefers them to all he ever saw artificial in the world:
Since the opinion of the doctors concerning the Time of Isaac's consulting the Oracle of the Pineapples, is so various, I think you should determine it by your own Conveniency, or as you see by the Letters you sent, the Merits on both sides.†4
POPE to FORTESCUE†1
March 1743
1797 (Polwhele, i. 325)
Monday, 7 o'clock, March, 1743.
It is indeed very long since we have met, but I do not forget you, nor do I think you forget me, since you were so kind as to call yesterday. I did not expect you while lord Bolingbroke was with me, (tho' I saw any friend alone). Since he left me I have been in Kent for some time,†2 and had Mr. West's family here a fortnight; have never been two days in town, nor one Sunday at home, without being confined to company. This is the truth, and I had written as much to you, but for the hope every week of seeing you the next. If this find you, dear Sir, at Richmond, I will take boat instantly: I truly am, and ever shall be, as I ever have been, your most obliged and faithful humble servant, | A. Pope.
April
POPE to MALLET†3
[? 1743]
Facsimile of item 561 of the Catalogue of the Bordoni Collection
Tuesday night
I was quite grievd to hear your self & Mrs Mallet†4 were at my door yesterday, tho I fear it was but your first flight after your Illness. Mr Brown†5 had sent his Chariot to desire me to go in it to Apscourt & return early, (he having been, & still being extremely ill) I am my self in no respect better than when I saw you; but it would have been a great pleasure to me, to have detaind You Two just for a dining-time, and a just Excuse to him. I expect Lord Bolingbroke this week, but am not certain his day will be so soon as to morrow, as he intends to stay five or six days. If you can dine with him without hurting you, I'll send you word what day? My humble Services are Mrs Mallet's, & all my true Affections are Yours. | A Pope
*POPE to ALLEN
12 April [1743]
Egerton 1947
Apr. 12. Tuesday.
Your Letters give me the truest pleasure as they constantly tell me your own satisfactions, & make me witness to those Blessings you injoy, which are the Desert & the Reward of Virtue. May you possess them always, & diffuse them on all round you. Your Resolution of increasing Mr Warb.'s happiness, by securing him in Independency, is as high a joy to me (to say all in one word) as it is to yourself, & will be to Him; who I see by a Letter Ive just receivd is making himself happy with one kindness you have done him, while you are preparing another he knows not of.
Fielding has sent the Books you subscribd for†1 to the Hand I imployd in conveying the 20 ll to him. In one Chapter of the Second vol. he has payd you a pretty Compliment upon your House.
I find by Lord Burlington that you must have your Fawns taken away soon after they fall from the Dam, or they can't be catchd when once they are able to run, in so small a Park (he says) without danger of killing. About June he thinks is the best time, when you should have them fed by hand with Cows Milk till they are strong enough to be carryd in Panniers on horseback, for any waggon will shake them to pieces.
You must accept of these Bottles of Eau sans pareille; when you would have more you shall pay for them.
You will see Mrs Blount much sooner than you or I imagin'd; if her Ill health, both of Body & Mind, (which God forbid) do not prevent, very speedily. For it has pleas'd him to take away her Mother last week; and the Melancholy which both that and some Circumstances in regard to her Sister affect her with, make her instant Removal from the Scene & the Danger of the highest Importance to her. All her Friends press her to take the Opportunity, which her Friend Lady Gerard offers her; who was this week going to Bath by advice of Physicians, and would fain have her with her. An unaccountable Tenderness she has for her Sister who is practising upon her every way, and a Dejection of Spirits, have thrown her into so weak a condition, that I dread the Consequence, if she be left but a few days longer here; and this weakness is made an Argument against her Journy: She is in Terrors at every thing. The Lady I find has not securd a
Lodging for her in the same house at Bath, so possibly she may be distressd, & she will be obligd to leave her own Maid to help her Sister for a week or ten days, in removing her Goods, &c. Therfore against all Events I know you'l receive her at first (till you can get her well accomodated) at your own house, in case she comes; which if she does, it will be on Saturday next. I beg you also to ingage Dr Hartleys Particular Care of her at her first Coming, for I am alarmed at the Apprehension of the Distemper, which is more & more fatal, & fear she may suffer on the road by Cold, &c. But every thing is to be ventured rather than leave her here. And this is the first Step toward a happier Life than ever Fortune has given her an opportunity hitherto to make. It will be very reasonable she should pass some time with Lady G. who deserves well of her, & is a very honest Woman, & it will be of use to herself to drink the Waters some weeks; after which she may make her Visit to you, & Mrs Allen; & Mr Warburton & I will come when you will, & Mr & Mrs Arb. follow after. So Hampton will be inhabited, by me if not by her, & some way or other you'l have enough of me. All my present Care, is for this poor, foolishly-tender, but exceedingly honest, Woman who I hope in God may be prevaild on to set out on Thursday, & get thro the journey safe; for indeed Many Dangers compass her round, at this time. I know no hands, or hearts, to whom I could commit one whom I value so much with any confidence so absolute, as I can to yours & Mrs. Allen's. I would go with her myself, if she would let me, and the sollicitude I shall be under, till you inform me of her safety, You may guess, who know what it is to feel and fear for a Friend. Adieu I will tell her, as soon as she comes, to send to your Brother's.
POPE to MALLET†1
[? 1743 or 1744]
Sir John Murray
Tuesday
This day I intended to pay you a Visit, But am still too weak, nor is the Shortness of my breath at all mended. If you are as well as I heartily wish, will you & Mr Thomson come by 2, and dine? or after dinner & lye here. To morrow my Lord Bol. is expected by dinner, but he & his Retinue fill my house, however you'l dine with him &c. Next day he is ingaged abroad at dinner. Believe me cordially | Dear Sir | yours. | A. Pope.
Mrs Mallet has my Services.
POPE to FORTESCUE†1
[April 1743]
Arthur A. Houghton, Jr.
Wednesday | Twitnam
I thank you for your kind Invitation to dine with you, but I have not dined this long while, so as to be fit for any mans table, or Food. I am not yet free from a fever, & yet must be carryd in a Coach to morrow to London, to be nearer the Doctor. If you could as well take the air this way, I would get you a Chicken & enjoy here what I wish I could there an hour or two of your Company. The Waterman gives me but an imperfect account of the state of your Health, which I am sure no man desires with more sincerity than | Dear Sir | Your most affectionate & | ever faithful Servant | A. Pope.
Address: To the Rt Hon. the | Master of the Rolles.
Endorsement (by Fortescue): Mr Pope | Apr. 1743
*POPE to ALLEN
14 April [1743]
Egerton 1947
Apr. the 14. | Thursday.
I am sorry to tell you theres an end of Mrs Blounts journey. Lady Gerard brings this Letter without her, but she says she will positively follow in a fortnight or 3 weeks. I must desire you to pay Lady Gerard three Bills, as she shall happen to have occasion to send them to you, two of twenty each & one of forty pounds. She has payd me the Mony, & if you draw upon me for eighty pound as soon as you please I will pay it to Mr Haslem or any body. I can only add my Constant Love to you, & I desire to hear from you soon.
Yours ever faithfully | A. Pope.
Address: To Ralph Allen Esqr at | Widcombe, near | Bath
Postmark: 13/AP
Notes (in Allen's hand): 3 Bundles | 3 Lettrs & News | 1 Voucher | Jacob went away | at 3/4 after 9 in | the morning
May
POPE to WARBURTON†2
[? 3 May 1743]
Egerton 1946
FRAGMENT
the great Edition they can all be am[ ]
I write, you know, very Laconica[lly. I have] but one Formula,
which says every thin[g to a friend,] 'I am Yours, & beg you to continue m[ine.' Let me] not be ignorant, (you can prevent [my being so] of any thing, but first & principally) [of your health] & well-being; and depend on my S[ense of all] the Kindness, over and above all [the Justice] you shall ever do me. | Dear Sir
Address: [The Re]vd Mr. Warburton | [Ne]wark | Lincolnshire
Postmark: 3/M[ ]
[Frank:] Murray
POPE to WARBURTON†1
21 May [1743]
Egerton 1946
London. May 21.
I have scarce time enough to snatch the hour of the Post, to tell you I have receivd the first three sheets of your Comment on the Ess. on Crit. the two first of which I feard had been lost, that inclosed to Mr Murray only coming to my hands till this afternoon. I am afraid Bowyer writ about it & alarmd you.
My Lord Bol. has been with me, or I with him, these 5 weeks. he leaves Engl. next Wensday,†2 and I shall be wholly at our Friend Mr Allen's Services by the middle of June, or thereabouts. He promises me, You will come this way, & about that Time.
I never read a thing with more pleasure than an Additional Sheet to Jervas's preface to Don Quixot†3 Before I got over 2 paragraphs I cryd out, Aut Erasmus, aut Diabolus! I knew you as certainly as the Ancients did the Gods, by the first Pace, & the very Gait. I've not a moment to express myself in, but could not omit this, which delighted me so greatly.
My Law-suit with Lintot is at an end,†4 & the Edition in Quarto of
the Dunciad is half printed. Adieu. Believe, no Man can be more Yours, call me by any Title you will, but a Doctor at Oxford. Sit tibi cura mei, sit tibi cura tui.
BOLINGBROKE to MARCHMONT†1
[21 May 1743]
1831 (Marchmont Papers, ii. 279)
Rathbone place,†2 Saturday Morning.
My dear Lord, — I am going to dine at Chiswick, and from thence to lie at Twickenham. Can you dine with us to-morrow, and carry me to Battersea in the evening? If this be convenient to you, I shall have Monday and Tuesday clear to pass them with you, and shall embark at Greenwich on Wednesday about one o'clock: thus I shall leave our country with the more regret; but thus too I shall carry with me the best impressions of it.
I am most faithfully your Lordship's | Obedient humble servant, | H. St. J. B.
June
POPE to FORTESCUE†3
[4] June 1743
1797 (Polwhele, i. 325)
Saturday night, June, 1743.
I have twice had the ill fortune to miss you, when I went to the rolls; the last time Mr. Solicitor†4 and I were together. And now that he and I are at Twitenham, (for one day only) my lord Bolingbroke happens to be so, which hinders us from seeing you. I shall be in town again in two or three days, and hope then to dine and sup with you. I am really troubled to meet you so rarely, as I preserve the memory of so many hours and days formerly passed together: and am, with that sort of truth, which was to be found in old-fashioned friendships, dear Sir, your faithful, and ever most affectionate servant, | A. Pope.
Address: To the Right Hon. the Master of the Rolls, Richmond.
POPE to SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH†1
Blenheim
[May or June 1743]
I found myself sorry to have left you, the moment I grew into better health, as I did this afternoon. Mrs Blount happend to owne her desire to wait on you to Lady Fanny Shirley, who immediately proposed to carry her on Friday & lye a night: But as She (Mrs B.) meant to stay longer, & was not certain whether two together would be quite so convenient to your Grace, she has put it off, & I am glad of it, because we may come together next week, when I intend to stay out all my Time with you, & I am sure she will have the same desire. I say I am sure of it, because she tells me so, & she never says a word that is untrue. I think I can be certain of waiting on your Grace on Tuesday, but I'll write in time.
Address (in trick folding of the note): To | her | Grace | the Duchess | of | Marlborough.
Endorsement: Mr Pope to The | Dutchess of Marlbro
POPE to SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH
[? June 1743]
Blenheim
Twitnam, Saturday.
Madam, — I hopd to have seen your Grace once more, before my Journey to Bath; which I find since, must be so soon as to morrow Evening or Munday morning. I hate to take leave, & so I should were I to go out of the world, otherwise than by a written Will, in which I commit my Soul to God & my Friends, at parting. Both your Grace & Mr Allen have done for me more than I am worth: he has come a hundred miles to fetch me, & I think in Gratitude I should stay with him forever, had I not an equal Obligation to come back to Your Grace. I feel most sensibly not only Kindnesses done me, but intended me: & I owe you more than I dare say you remember. First I owe you my House & Gardens at Twitnam, for you would have purchas'd them for me when you thought me fond of them. Secondly, I owe you a Coach & Horses, notwithstanding I fought you down to an Arm-Chair. And the other day I but named a House in Town, and I saw with what Attention you listend to it, & what you meant by that Attention. But alas! that Project is blasted, tho' a little one, & disappointed by its being tho so little, too good for me. For upon Enquiry, it cannot be bought for less than double What I was told; and I believe I shall sit down in another, (in which I am determined
to sleep as well, tho not half the price:) a House not unlike myself, pretty old, & very crazy, yet possible enough to outlast me with a little Repair, & no bad bargain for my Heirs; so cheap, I may buy it with no Imputation on my Prudence; It will be laying out my Mony well. So that, let your Grace mean me whatever Good you will, at present I only desire you to send me a new order for Janette Mowat, who will want a House & Home more than I. You were pleasd to give my Friend Allen an Order last year for two Bucks, which I think were to be claimd annually this year again as you worded it. pray tell me, if that was your Intention, or not?
What can I say to your Grace? You think the same things, read the same Books, like the same people, that I do: I can only wish a thing I cannot doubt, that you will continue to do so. Be but so good to like me a little, & be assur'd I shall love you extremely. — I won't subscribe my Name, that I may not be thought a very impudent arrogant fellow. But if you forgive me, pray write to tell me as much, and I will declare my self to all the world for | Your devoted Servant.
PS. Just as I am writing, I receive the Billet for Janett Mowat, which God is to repay you for, and I to thank you.
Endorsement: Mr Pope's | letter to The Dss | of Marlborough
July
POPE to THE EARL OF MARCHMONT†1
[July 1743]
Arthur A. Houghton, Jr.
So it is, and so it always is with me, that I write last to those I love most; and now by this rule, you are the man I love the very best. The truth is, I have nothing to tell them, but what they (I flatter myself) know beyond all others, my real sensibility toward them, & my knowledge of their amiable Qualities: One must necessarily tell them the same things, if one continues the same affection & esteem: therfore I turn from that honest Tautology to some foreign subject. And what more foreign from you than a worthless man of Quality? whose death has filled me with Philosophy & Contempt of Riches. Three hundred thousand pound the sum total of his life! without one worthy Deed, public or private! he had just sence enough to see the bad measures we were ingag'd in, without the heart to feel for his Country or spirit to oppose what he condemn'd; as long as a Title, or a Riband, or a little lucrative employment, could be got, by his tame submission, & Concurrence. He lov'd no body, for (they say) he has not left a Legacy, not ev'n to his flatterers: he had no ambition, with a vast deal of Pride, and no Dignity, with great Stateliness. His Titles only must be his
Epitaph; & there can be nothing on his monument remarkable, except his nose, which I hope the Statuary will do justice to.†1
I should doubly congratulate our Victory over the French,†2 if the War would occasion you & me the Recovery of our friend†3 to England for ever. Pray how will that matter stand in his regard. I should be glad either that your Lordship was but half Master of Battersea, or I of Twitenham. I was upon the point of writing to him, but will there be a free passage for Letters at present? He is a Great man, but will never be worth three hundred thousand pounds; yet I would rather re-gain him, & live with him, three hundred thousand times. My Lord Chesterfield is here & sends you his services: there is not one man at Bath besides whom I know. He has made me dine with him en malade, tho my Physician prescribes me garlick; which I chuse to take in sauces rather than electuaries. He tells me your Lordship is got a-head of all the Gardening Lords, that you have distanc'd Lord Burlington & Lord Cobham in the true scientific part; but he is studying after you, & has here lying before him those Thesaurus's from which he affirms you draw all your knowledge, Millers Dictionaryes.†4 But I informd him better, & told him your chief lights were from Joannes Serlius;†5 whose Books he is now enquiring for, of Leake the Bookseller, who has writ for them to his Correspondents. I never was more at ease in my life than in this place, & yet I wish myself with you every other day at least.
There are many hours I could be glad to talk to (or rather to hear) the Duchess of Marlborough: so many Incidents happen, beside what Providence seems to have any regard to, in the Lives & Deaths of Great Men, that the world appears to me to be made for the Instruction of the Lesser only, & those great ones for our Laughter: only I must except, that I hear very good things of the Earl of Bath, which justly entitle him to Admiration. I could listen to her with the same Veneration, & Belief in all her doctrines, as the Disciples of Socrates gave to the words of their Master, or he himself to his Dæmon (for I think she too has a Devil, whom in civility we will call a Genius.) I will judge of nothing till I see her.
Believe me, my dear Lord, | Your Ever obliged, ever | affectionate Servant. | A. Pope.
Bath. | Tuesday night.
Address: To the Right Hon: | the Earl of Marchmont.
POPE to COL. JAMES MOYSER†1
11 July 1743
Egerton 1948
I am always glad to hear of you, & where I can, I always Enquire of you. But why have you omitted to tell me one word of your own health? The account of our Friend's†2 is truly melancholy, added to the Circumstance of his being detained (I fear without much hope) in a foreign Country, from the comfort of seeing (what a Good Man most desires, & best deserves, to see to the last hour) his Friends about him. The Publick News indeed gives every Englishman a reasonable Joy,†3 & I truly feel it with you, as a National Joy, not a Party-one; nay as a General Joy to all Nations, where Bloodshed & Misery must have been introduced, had the Ambition & Perfidy of France†4 prevailed.
I come now to answer your Friend's Question. The Whole of what he has heard†5 of my writing the Character of the old Duke†6 of Buckingham, is untrue. I do not remember ever to have seen it in Manuscript. Nor have I ever seen the Pedigree he mentions, otherwise than after the Duchess had printed it with the Will, & sent one to me, as I suppose she did to all her acquaintance. I do not wonder it should be reported I writ that Character, after a story which I will tell you in your ear, to yourself only, There was another Character written, of her Grace by herself, (with what help I know not) but she shewed it me in her Blotts, & press'd me, by all the adjurations of Friendship, to give her my Sincere Opinion of it. I acted honestly, & did so.†7 She seem'd to take it patiently, & upon many Exceptions which I made, ingaged me to take the whole, & to select out of it just as much as I judg'd might stand, & return her the Copy. I did so. Immediately she pickd a Quarrel with me, & we never saw each other in five or six years.†8 In the meantime, she shewed this character (as much as was extracted of it in my handwriting) as a Composition of my own, in her praise. And very probably, it is now in the hands of Lord Hervey.†9
— Dear Sir, I sincerely wish you, & your whole Family, (whose welfare is so closely connected) the best health, and truest happiness; and am (as is also the Master of this place) | Your most affectio-|nate & faithfull | Servant | A. Pope.
Bath: July 11th 1743.
Address (in Allen's hand): To The Honble Col Moyser | at Beverley | Yorkshire
Frank: ffree Allen
Postmark (imperfect): 11/IY
POPE to GEORGE ARBUTHNOT
23 July 1743
The Royal College of Surgeons of England
I thank you for yours and am better than when I first came hither, of that Asthmatical Complaint, but still unable to move much about, especially to go up stairs or up-hill. I have let blood, & I take Medicines from Prescriptions of Dr Mead. It will be a great pleasure to me to see you, & it is a real Satisfaction to me to have found you could be willing to pass some time with me in a Family way of Joint-House-keeping, according to the Scheme I had so set my heart upon. But I find Mr Allen will not permit us, after all, to live any where hereabout but in his own house, with any patience. I have spoken of it (as you know) for months past, & he seemd to give into it. But since I have endeavord, in earnest, to get a bed or 2 set up there, & to lay in some things; he absolutely declares you shall be his guest at his own house, & that neither you nor Mr Warburton shall go. I told him both you & I should be Easyer at the other house; that you & I would stay twice as long there; & that we would come, after we had past a month there, & pass some weeks with him: but all to no purpose. I suspect that he has an apprehension in his head, that if he Lends that House to us, Others hereabouts may try to borrow it, which would be disagreeable to him, he making it a kind of Villa, to change to, & pass now & then a Day at it in private.
I told him, I believd you would not Come down, but in the view of our living together there & not of filling up his own house: To which he answerd, that you would come, if I sayd nothing of it, to the contrary; & charged me not to do so; for if once you were here, he would oblige you to stay with him. Nevertheless I did not think it right to conceal this from you. That you are most heartily wishd for, is certain; but whether you will care to stay so long at his house, as you would at the other, I doubt: I owne I should not. And we shall not have occasion of sending in Wine or Cyder &c, as the matter stands. — But I
must beg you to come or he will take it very ill that I have acquainted you with this. Let me know your time & I will manage mine accordingly. Mr Warburton intends to go in about a month. and he & I are to make a short Visit to Lord Bathurst at Cirencester, which I'd contrive before you come: unless you should like to travel that way with us, & then I'd postpone it. Adieu My hearty Service to your Sister of whom I am always glad to hear, or to see a line of her handwriting. No man more earnestly wishes the Prosperity of you both, than | Dear Sir | Yours faithfully, | A. Pope.
July 23d 1743.
pray write me a Line as soon as you can.
MARTHA BLOUNT to POPE†1
[28 July or 4 August 1743]
Mapledurham
I hope you are well. I am not. My spirits are quite down, tho they should not. for these people deserve so much to be dispised, one should do nothing but Laugh. I packed up all my things yesterday, the servants knew it, Mr & Mrs Allen, never said a word, nor so much as asked me how I went or where, or when. in short from every one of them much greater inhumanity than I could conceive any body could shew. Mr Warburton takes no notice of me. tis most wonderfull. they have not one of 'em named your name, nor drank your health since you went. they talk to one another without putting me at all in the conversation. Lord Archibald is come to Lincombe,†2 I was to have gone this morning, in his coach, but unluckily he keeps it here. I shall go and contrive something with 'em to day. for I do really think, these people would shove me out, if I did not go, soon. I would run all inconveniences, & drink the waters, if I thought they would do me good. my present state is deplorable. I'll get out of it, as soon, and as well as I can. | adieu my compliments | to Mr At:†3 thursday morn | 8 o clock
Address: To Mr Pope to be | left with Mr pyne the | post master. | Bristoll
August
POPE to MARTHA BLOUNT†1
[Early August 1743]
Mapledurham
So strange a disappointment as I met with, the extreme Sensibility which I know is in your nature of such monstrous Treatment, & the bitter Reflection that I was wholly the unhappy cause of it, did really so distract me while with you, that I could neither speak, nor move, nor act, nor think. I was like a Man stunn'd, or stabbd, where he expected an Embrace. And I was dejected to death, seeing I could do or say nothing to comfort, but ev'ry thing rather to hurt you. But for Gods sake know, that I understand it was Goodness & Generosity you showed me under the appearance of Anger itself; When you bid me first go to Lord B.'s†2 from them, & then hasten hither, I was sensible it was in resentment of their Conduct to me, & to remove me from such Treatment, tho You stayed alone to suffer it yourself. But I depended you would not have been a Day longer in the House, after I left you last; and of all I have endur'd, nothing gave me so much pain of heart, as to find by your Letters you were still under their roof. I dread their provoking you to Any Expression unworthy of you. Even Laughter would be taking too much notice. but I more dread your Spirits, & falling under such a dejection as renders you incapable of resolving on the Means of getting out of all this. You frighten yourself more, than were you in any other house, you would be sensible you need do. If you would go directly to London, you may without the least danger, go in a Coach, & Six of Kings Horses, (with a [serv]ant on horseback, as far as Marlborow, writing to John to meet you there) for 6 or 7 ll as safe no doubt as in any Nobleman or Gentlemans Coach. — If you would stay a few days at Lady Cox's, you might, as many do, be carryd in a Chair to Lincomb,†3 & be all day among people who either love you, or have Civility & Humanity. Or if you cared to pass that time at Holt, where Lady Cox & Lady Bp. are, and as soon as the Duchess of Qu: comes, you may depend upon it if you write she'l send her Coach for you thither. Lady Archibald (I cannot doubt) would lend you her Coach to go, if they have not sent back their horses, which I don't suppose from your Letter. — Another easy way
of going to Amesbury is to Sandy Lane, in a morning, to which place the Duchess can easily send, & you'l be there before night. — Or lastly Mr Arbuthnot & I will come in a very good Coach from hence any day you name, take you up at Lincomb or Lady Cox's by nine in the morning, & carry you & your Maid safe either to London or Amesbury. He has a Friend who lives by Salisbury, with whom he and I would gladly pass a day or two, (Sir Edw Deboovery)†1 & then carry you on to London from Amesbury, which is within 6 miles of him.
All I beg is, that you'l not stay a moment at the only place in England (I am satisfyd) where you can be so used; & where, for your sake & for my own too, I never will set foot more — however well I might wish the Man, the Woman is a Minx, & an impertinent one, & he will do what She would have him — I don't wonder they don't speak a word of me but some words I have spoke to him, I shall not write till I get home, if then. but show my Resentment without lessning myself. For Gods sake do the same. Leave them, without a word, & send for your things But I hope you have, I am sure you have, surely you must have, done this already. In any other house, you'l breathe, & recover your self. The Bethels are good: The Ladies are wellbred, & you'l be in a State both of body & mind, not to intimidate your poor Soul to death, but consult on the easiest means either to stay or go. All I insist upon is, that you do not go directly to London without a Servant, who may come back to give an account how you got that part of the way, and that John may be with you the rest: unless (which I think best, if you don't except to it) you write to him to come quite to you. I've drawn up an Order, which you may fill up as you like, to either purpose, and date, & fix the day & place.
Pray make me easy with the news that you have left their house. I fully hoped it, when I writ to you last post. (for your Letter I did not receive till night, by the Postmasters great care, who instead of letting it lye at the Posthouse where we orderd our letters to be left, had found out our Lodgings, & sent them while we were abroad thither.) I hope you had a little Box, with some Wine: & that Lord Chest.†2 did as he promisd me as to Franks. Sir John Swinburn & his Lady, & Mr Southwell askd much of you. I've not been at the Long room or Wells, & seen no Company more, so I can't say any thing about the Venison, but I doubt not they had it, & will have the other. I think it best still to inclose to Mr. Edwyn. I should not wonder if Listeners at doors should open Letters. W.†3 is a sneaking Parson, & I told him he flatterd.
Address: To | Mrs Blount.
POPE to SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH†1
6 August 1743
Blenheim
Bath. Aug. 6. 1743
Madam, — Your Grace will look upon my Letters as you do upon my Visits; whenever I have a Clear day or am less dull than ordinary, I have an Impulse that carries me to you, Mind or Body; I do not go, or write, so much to speak to You, as to make You speak to me. If I am awake, you enliven me, and if I nod, you indulge me. I hope what I said about writing no more under Mr Allen's Cover (where I think yours was opend)†2 will not prevent your favoring me under Lord Chesterfields. I am return'd again to Bath, & find he has not heard from your Grace: but I hear you live, & I hope with all that Spirit with which you make Life supportable, both to yourself & those about you. You will neither live nor die like W — n†3 who wanted the heart to pity either his Country, or his Servants, and had equally no Sense of the Publick or Private Obligations. God help him (if he will) that helpd no body! Much less had he learnt the trick some people have contrived, of making Legacies in his Life time. The Scripture has a fine expression upon Charity. He that gives to the Needy, Lends to the Lord; and one may say of Friendship, He that gives to the Worthy, has a Mortgage upon Merit, on the best of all Worldly Security.
I shall soon be upon the Wing for London, I wish indeed it could be on the wing literally, for every Earthly Carriage is too rough for me: & a Butterfly, tho as weak as a Grasshopper, has the better of him by having wings. I have been trying the Post chaise, to get the sooner home, but it is worse than a Waggon for jolting, and would send my Soul a longer Journey than I care for taking, as long as two or three people remain in their bodies. When I can arrive in London I will endeavor to set up my Rest there against Winter, and constantly keep my Hive, tho not an Assembly, for I hate a Buzz and I will drive out Drones. I don't call those that sleep, so, but those that go droning about, & do nothing, no sort of good at least, tho they look bigger than the rest of their Species, and only plunder the Flowers without making Honey, and rob others who can make it. But I'l say no more of these Great Ones. God hates them, & you hate them, that's sufficient.
I am | Your Grace's most obligd Servant. | A.P.
As you seldom receive any Letters, that do not, first or last, beg something of you, I beg you will order your Keeper at Blenheim to send a Buck to Bristol, directed to the Honorable Mr Murray at the Hotwell: Not the Mr Murray who is so like Tully as to plead now & then in a bad Cause, but a Brother of my Lord Ellibank. And your Petitioner shall ever pray, &c.
Address: To her Grace the Duchess of Marlborough.
Endorsement: Alex. Pope.
POPE to THE EARL OF ORRERY
12 August [1743]
The Pierpont Morgan Library
Bristol. Augst 12th
My Lord, — I have been summon'd from Mr Allens to Lord Bathurst, where I past 5 days, & then return'd; not without hopes your Enemy the Gout had been repulsed, & that you would give me a challenge to meet you on Horseback, & ride toward Marston. But not seeing nor hearing from you gives me great fear you are still confined. And I was writing to inquire; when Mr Arbuthnot came from London, & insisted on my going with him, as I had ingaged, either to a House Mr Allen had promised to lend him, or to Bristol. The house was deny'd us, & he did not care to stay longer than 4 or 5 days; so we are both at Bristol, whither I came by water, thro the most Romantic Scene I could desire, to other Scenes here of still higher beauty, I can not now have any hopes of seeing Marston as the utmost Limit of our Time draws nigh. But I cannot live with any Ease under the Disappointment of that, and under the Apprehension of your continuing ill. All the purpose therfore of this Letter is to beg to know by a line, (to be left with Mr Pyne the Postmaster of Bristol) the true State of your Lordships health.
I just hear of the death of Lord Hervey.†1 Requiescat in pace! Will it not oblige you to return to London somewhat the sooner? If so, I hope I shall know the first day, & find Part of the Kingdom a much better Situation than this, for Friendship to thrive in, & for Friends to injoy Life. I cannot say with how much Truth, Esteem, & affection I am | My Lord | Your Ever obligd Servant | A. Pope.
Nor can you say too much | from me, to Lady Orrery.
Address: To the Right Honble the Earl | of Orrery, at Marston near | Froome | Somersetshire.
Endorsement: Mr Pope. Bristol. | Aug: 12: 1743
*POPE to HUGH BETHEL
16 August 1743
Egerton 1948
Bristol. Aug. 16. 1743.
My dear Friend, — I heartily rejoyce & welcome you to your native Country & your Friends, but am the most unfortunate of them, if I cannot reach London soon enough to see you. I have been in Every thing unfortunate this year, that I hoped for with regard to those I love. But I am glad first, of your being the better for your Journey, & then, that Mrs Blount will see you,†1 who has not been the better at all for hers, neither am I for mine. Would to God we were all together, somewhere, for most of our life, to come: Since if there be any Comfort in Life, it is to find honest people together, assisting one another to bear it. I have been travelling like you (would to God your Travels & Complaints were as supportable as mine!) with an Asthmatic Ailment on my breast, which I cannot remove yet. I fancyd change of air might help it, together with Dr Meads medcines; I left Bath & came to Bristol, & thence went over the channel to Wales, by which means I receivd not your kind Letter till yesterday on my return hither. I will hasten the best I can to Town; I am forced to travel very slow, by the Piles, in a Coach in rough way, & I can't ride or walk up hill for shortness of breath. pray tell me by one line the first post you can, how long or short is your stay in London? If you could not protract it, I would make the best of my way instantly. If you think Scarborow waters proper, I believe the Physicians would recommend those of Cheltenham preferably, if you enquired, and if you went thither, I would meet you & stay with you there, where also Lady Codrington is. At all Events, I must see you. I find the gradual approaches of Decay many ways, and whatever I wish to do, I wish were done, for any of those I would benefit. I wish we consulted together about Mrs B. who deserves all we can do, if ever a good Heart deserved well. It would be very convenient to me in the distribution of my affairs to grant her an Annuity of 100 ll a year, & take 1000 ll. with which I would purchase the House at Twickenham, which I am convinced would be a wise bargain for me, & my heirs. They had hung off since my offer some months; but since, Sir Charles Vernon has been bringing it on again, I believe they will come into it, and in that case I'll make use of what you gave me leave for the Advantage of having all the mony ready to clap up the bargain. At present, if the Duchess of Bucks annuity & another from Lord Bathurst be paid me regularly, as I think they will, I shall need less Annual Income than I did when I bought them & can therfore give the annuity to Mrs B. which I mentiond, at that price, which another would not easily be found to do, and settle a Security to her of 2000 ll for it.
What you said in yours concerning her, leads me to tell you this. You will talk it over with her, and whatever else you can, to make her future life easier & more comfortable than the past. God preserve you & restore you! I am for ever faithfully & entirely Yours | A. Pope.
Pray direct to me to be left at Mr Pyne the Postmaster at Bristol. I will set out as soon as I receive it.
Address missing except for the words: near Grantham.
POPE to THE EARL OF ORRERY†1
[18 August 1743]
The Pierpont Morgan Library
My Lord, — It was beyond Expression kind in you to give me this Assurance of your Better State of health; & the knowledge that you are upon your legs again, actively setting out on Adventures. I shall do the same, on the same day, Saturday, as I believe: & proceed with Mr Arbuthnot homeward, with sure & certain hope of meeting you at London & at Twitnam, in either of which places I shall be at your devotion. I had a strong Instinct to have gone by Lord Bathurst's (as he can tell you) to Sir Clement Cottrell's, but by a Letter from him I find he is yet in London, & the Method of my Coming at him very precarious, if (after all) he should have room to lodge me: of which he speaks doubtfully, and be it as it will, this will prevent me, (for I cannot part from my Fellow Traveller.) Mr Warburton is still with Mr Allen, & I do not know certainly the time of his return to London, but I think at the beginning of next month. I shall not see Mr Allen's again this year. I am constantly obliged to Lady Orrery, & I promise if ever I drag my bones again so far, I will get to Marston from Salisbury, instead of vainly wishing it from Bath, and make that the first & ultimate End of my Journey. My health is not bad, but the inward Complaint of my Breast continues: I heartily wish that your Lordships Journies may accomplish what I never expect from mine, & Restore you perfectly. My sincerest Respects attend you both, & my prayers for the prosperity of this, & the next Generation that is to be yours, & which I hope your eyes will see when I am dust & ashes. I write nonsence, but it is quite night, & I asleep. I expect that James will call for this before I shall open my eyes to morrow to blush at what I've written: But I add one line with confidence, for never was a truer Word said, or one I can be prouder of, than that I am entirely, & by all obligations, | Your Lordship's ever. | A. Pope.
Bristol. Aug. 18. | 1743.
Endorsement: Mr Pope. | Augt 18. | 1743.
*POPE to DR. OLIVER
18 August [1743]
The Folger Shakespeare Library
Aug. 18. Thursday.
Many thanks to you for a repetition of kind Offices & Favours: I will put them all upon a better foot; of Inclinations and Affections, shewn me on all occasions. We find in the Course of our Engagements, (which now draw us as strongly towards London, as mine have formerly drawn me from it) that we must make the best of our way, & cannot stop at Lilliput:†1 But we will stay a Night at Bath, on purpose to pass it with You & the Master of Lilliput: (but keep this Secret to yourself, or Mr Allen will take it ill.) On Sunday Evening we will be with you, about seven or eight, in order to go on for Sandy-lane early the next morning. Believe me, dear Sir, there are few, or none, in any part of this world, to whom I feel a warmer, or a more pleasing, Sense of Distinction, (I will once more say of Affection) shewn me, than from Yourself; or that have a juster Title to any Demonstrations I could be so happy as to give, of the truth & sincere zeal with which I am, | Dear Sir, | Your most faithfull | & most humble Servant: | A. Pope.
Mr Arbuthnot is heartily yours and begs you would send to Wicksted the Seal Cutter for a Seal of his, that he may take it with him from your house.
Address: To Dr Oliver, in Westgate | Street. | Bath.
Endorsement: Mr Pope
*POPE to DR. OLIVER†2
[? 19 August 1743]
Robert H. Taylor
Friday after-|noon
A new Scheme has superven'd, & we shall see you to morrow Evening, and not on Sunday; for on Sunday we shall be no more to be seen in your Hemisphære. A sudden Call to London†3 hastens us a day sooner, & we have not one to spare. — I must beg you to hire an Easy Coach of King, or any who has 4 good Horses, to be ready on Sunday, morning by six, to carry us on to Sandylane or Marlborow. Let us meet Mr Pierce with you. Adieu & forgive all the Trouble my Infirmity's &
uncertaintys cause you. I am truly in the utmost hurry.†1 Dear Sir | Yours. | A. Pope.
Address: To Dr. Oliver, at his | house in | Westgate St., | Bath To be delivered as soon | as possible to night.
POPE to DR. OLIVER
28 August 1743
New York Public Library
Munday, Aug. 28, 1743
I ought to give you some account of two people you show'd yourself so much interested about, as Mr Arbuthnot & myself. But to me, & my Welfare, You have a double Title, as it employed the greater part of your Care and Concern. The Medicine you gave me cannot relieve my breast & stomach more, than the Medicina Animae, administred in your Conversation, did my Spirits: It cannot displease you to hear, that is what I now want the most; for I found myself mend upon travelling. The Air & Exercise about Bristol certainly did me good, and I had no sooner put myself into the Postchaise, than I felt an increase of spirit that carryd me quite to Redding the first day; & I found no ill consequence of lying four or five nights in London, from whence I am but now got home. It was a very melancholy Call to that place which hastened me so much, the last sight, (I fear) of a most valuable dying friend, Mr Bethel, who is góne to Scarborough, I don't see with what hope, but to lie down among his Friends in Yorkshire. I wish you & Dr Hartley would let Mr Allen know the Impracticability of my Calling upon him the only half-afternoon that I was at Bath, (after my first Intention of coming 2 days later, was alterd, which you know to be true, & which I had reason not to doubt Mr Pyne had told you of.) Pray make my Compliments to Dr Hartley, as I shall yours to Dr Mead. I have had such obligations to the best of your faculty, during my whole life, that I wish all others, both my Friends and my Enemies, were their Patients; in which I show that I wish well to my Friends, and not ill to my Enemies. That every Physical & moral Evil may be far from you, is the philosophical Prayer of, | Dear Sir, | Your very obliged and very affectionate | servant, | A. Pope.
Address: To Dr. Oliver, at | Bath.
Endorsement: Mr Pope | 43
September
*POPE to WARBURTON
[4 September 1743]
Egerton 1946
Twitnam: Sunday.
I heartily thank you for yours. I did mention you as I thought, in both of my letters to Mr Allen,†1 but I am sure I did in my last; but he had not receivd it (I believe) so soon as the 30 of Aug. when yours is dated. I there beggd you to give me the first notice when you came this way, and you have done so (as indeed you always prevent my wishes, in doing the thing I desire, even before I desire it.) I have here Mr & Mrs Arbuthnot, & Mr Rollinson,†2 with a heap of Engagements incidental to this place, at this time of year. But I will leave them for a day or 2, & be in town to morrow night, with Mr Arbuthnot, & lye at his house, where I'l send to Bowyer's as soon as I arrive. You may be assured that no man is more zealously yours, or will be more sincere with you than Dear Sir Your faithfull & affect: Servant | A. Pope.
*POPE to ALLEN
13 September [1743]
Egerton 1947
Twitnam. Sept. 13.
I thank you for yours, tho in it you said nothing of your health, which gave me some fears, having been told the day before that you had been ill of a very bad Fit of the headake: till Mr Warburton satisfyd me it was some time ago, & that he left you well. I was glad to see him look better (I think) than ever I had seen him: We dined together every day that he stayed, & he gave me a promise that much pleasd me, to pass some part of next Winter in Town.
I braggd to you of my Amendment a little too soon, for since my return I have sufferd a good deal from the Complaint of my breath: and if it be so in this fine Weather, what must I expect in the Winter?
Mr W. gave me an account that truly concern'd me, that Dr Hartley had a Fit of the Stone, which he thought was occasiond by his Journey from Bristol, when he walk'd four or five miles to avoid jumbling by Coach. I beg to know how he is? as he is One I have a Sincere Esteem for.
[I] receivd a week or more ago four Hampers of Bristol water from Mr Haslem, for which I thank you & am in your debt. But the rough Stone is not come yet which you orderd away above a month since. It
will now I fear be too late to make use of this Season, & I am going for 2 or 3 weeks to Amesbury, & Salisbury with Mr Arbuthnot to his Friend Sir Jacob Debouverie's, whom I hindred him from visiting in his way from Bristol, by my Haste to see poor Mr Bethel in London. I shall be there or thereabouts, & if you favor me with a line, direct it to Sir Jacob's. I wish you All health, & joyn Mr Hook in the Wish. Sincerely Yours. | A. Pope.
Address: To Ralph Allen Esqr | at Widcomb | near | Bath.
Postmark: 13/SE
Stamped: WP
POPE to THE EARL OF ORRERY
30 September 1743
The Pierpont Morgan Library
Sept. 30. 1743.
My Lord, — You are too good in making Enquirys after a Man not worth giving you any Account of. He can go any where but where he has most mind to go, to Marston; He was at home but a fortnight, before he was seduced into Oxfordshire, in my Lord Cornburys Coach; whence he was carried to Rousham by Sir Clement Cottrel's, stayd two days, & went to Oxford in full assurance of finding Dr King, but he was gone the day before to London; however I took possession of his lodging, & got away the next morning, un-doctor'd, the third time:†1 Sic me servavit Apollo. The Doctor has had an Escape, & so have I. Thence I made a Visit to the Duchess of Queensberry, & so returnd to Twitnam yesterday: where, notwithstanding the finest Autumn in the world, I am wishing for Winter, & November weather to bring you to Town. Lady Orrery & yourself will never rest, till you make me imagine, by so many warm Invitations, that it is my duty to convince you I am a very troublesome fellow, by passing as many days with you in St James' park,†2 as I wish'd to do at Marston. As to your Executorship, I wish no body may be more troublesome to your Lordship than I shall be in my demands: for if I can but plead Poverty, I am sure to be welcome to whatever you & Lady Orrery can help me to. I do not want Money so much as Health & Strength; of which I have scarce enough to live upon; & what vexes me more, scarce enough to speak, write, or behave toward those I most esteem & love, with Spirit and alacrity sufficient to show them, in what degree I love & esteem them: I can only protest (as I do very honestly) that I care for nothing else in this world, than the Society & good opinion of the Few like yourself, & am invariably theirs & yours of necessity.
So adieu my dear Lord, & recommend me to my Lady, who will take your word, for | Your ever obligd, | A. Pope.
Endorsement: Mr Pope. | Sepr 30, 1743.
October
*POPE to HUGH BETHEL
5 October 1743
Egerton 1948
Oct. 5. 1743.
Tho the kind account that Dr Kay gives me of the Effect of your Medicine affords me true Satisfaction, yet it is not complete, while any of your Complaint subsists; and whether I may hope or no, I'm sure I may wish, & pray, for a perfect Recovery, which it is not yet. My Satisfaction too is uncomplete, in being absent from you, & not having so much as seen you,†1 by the unfortunate distance I was at. I would willingly take the same or a greater journey, at as short a warning, and follow you to Yorkshire, if I thought It could be of any Use, or but any great degree of pleasure to you. I am told by Dr Kay that the Nostrum of Dr Robari did wonderfully, upon your last trial; but certainly You should add all the helps you can, by Riding, Diet, &c. Mrs Blount understood by you, that you wanted a good Servant, and knowing how very necessary that is to you at this time, made it her business to inquire. She verily thinks she has found one every way capable, & thoroughly honest by all accounts. He servd General Tyrrel many years & was next his person when he was in a declining way. He also attended Admiral Candish in his Illness, & Mrs Candish & Mistress Carteret give him an excellent Character. Mr Arundel on his knowledge of the Man's Merit, has kept him till he shall be provided elsewhere, and in all probability he will be very fit for you. This she causd me to write to you some weeks ago: but the Letter being directed to Scarborow has certainly mist you: We suppose he is yet out of Service, but if you like it, she desires to know, & will do any thing you desire in it.
I am sorry you have any reason to imagine your Illness has at all impaired your Memory. It is a Faculty (I know by experience) that rises & falls, with better or worse Spirits. I often think the same of my own. But what you mention as a defect in yours, that you forgot before to say, as to my Mention of an Annuity for our Friend: is no proof of it. For I did not propose it absolutely as a thing I chose to do myself, but only that it was absolutely right for her to do, & the joint Opinion of others of her Friends, that she should endeavor to purchace one. Lady Codrington in particular try'd with two of her acquaintance who had proposed lately to sell an annuity, and they failing, I meant only to
say, that if no other could be found, I would myself as a dernier Resort, which I could contrive with less inconveniency than it would have been formerly to me. I should really think 100 a year might fairly be given for a Life like hers for 1000 ll. Nor should I think it a bad bargain; tho of all mankind I should least like to deal in that way with a Friend.
Pray return hearty Compliments to Col. Moyser, whose uncertain State of health I am very sorry for. I am glad you are together once more, & hope you will both remain a mutual comfort to each other some years to come. Pray let me hear (if it be too troublesome to your-Self, by some other hand, Dr Kay's or Mr M.'s) from time to time, how you proceed. I assure you, few, very few things in this world, give me so much Concern who am with invariable affection & Esteem | Dear Sir | Your most faithfull | humble Servant. | A. Pope
Pray tell Dr Kay my Urns are not worth the Carriage to Yorkshire, & are but Leaden ones. I would send him one or 2 of Bathstone, if I knew how to have them carved, & of what Size, & how to convey them from Bristol, which he would oblige me in accepting of.
The Complaint of my Shortness of breath continues; I have sometimes a Pain there, and often in my side; but the latter is manifestly Wind only, & goes off in Eructations, which makes me think the former is occasiond by Wind too. The least stirring puts me quite out of breath, but I have no Cough and generally sleep well. I find no change by any remedy. I have taken but few, Gum pills, moderate cooling purges, Rob of Elder, Pennyroyal & Linseed Tea.
POPE to WARBURTON†1
7 October [1743]
Egerton 1946
Oct. 7.
I heartily thank you for yours, from which I learnd your safe Arrival; & that you found all yours in health was a kind Addition to the Account, as I truly am interested in whatever is, and deserves, to be dear to you, & to make a part of your happiness. I have many reasons & experiences to convince me how much you wish Health to me, as well as long Life to my Writings; Could you make as much a Better Man of me, as you can make a Better Author, I were secure of Immortality both here & hearafter, by your means. ⸢I have given Bowyer the Comment on the Essay on Criticism this week, & he shall lose no time in the rest.⸣ The Dunciad I've orderd to be advertized to be publishd ⸢the last of October⸣ in 4°,†2 Pray order ⸢him to send
You⸣ as many of them as you will; and know that whatever is mine is yours. ⸢I went to Cornbury with the Lord of that place, & lay one night at Oxford. I lookd in at the Printing house. all I could see was one Sheet,†1 in the Margins of which were no various readings or marks for any references of any sort, but a fine well-printed Text that coverd a multitude of Faults, for it was in the worst of his Plays, the Love's Labor lost. Adieu. I am Yours faithfully. | A. Pope⸣
⸢Mr Arbuthnot is with me & sends you his very particular Services, with his Desire, that if, in his Way, he can be ever of any Service to you, You will freely make use of him.⸣
Address: To the Revd Mr Warburton at Newark | Nottinghamshire
Frank: Free | Radnor
Postmark: 8/OC
POPE to SLINGSBY BETHEL†2
28 October [1743]
Elwin-Courthope, ix. 160
Twickenham, Oct. 28.
I am very lately returned home after two or three long journeys. I writ to your brother about a servant which he seemed to want, but have not in three weeks heard a word. I fear he is ill, and beg to know what you know of him. I am to send him this parcel, but know not how. I wish you could forward it, either to him or Colonel Moyser. I would give you still another trouble, to get for Mrs. Blount three dozen of Madeira of Colonel Tomlinson, or the best hand you can, fit for present drinking, and send it directed to Holmes, the Twickenham waterman, at the "Globe," at Hungerford Stairs. I should be glad to have any opportunity sometimes of meeting you for an hour or two in town (whither I think soon of removing), or here, if you had a day and night at any time to spare, and let me know, I would be in your way with pleasure. Believe me, sir, I wish you all prosperity, and am sincerely your affectionate and ever obliged servant.
*POPE to HUGH BETHEL
29 October [1743]
Egerton 1948
Twit'nam: Oct 29th
It is a trouble to me, & gives me great fears of your ticklish State of
health, that I have not heard of you since my last, where I prest it so warmly, by any hand you could imploy, only in three lines to acquaint me how you proceeded. The temperate weather favours me in my new Complaint, and I would fain hope it does the same in your old one, as they are somewhat a-kin. But more particularly I expected to hear in answer to mine, whether you thought of the Servant I writ you the character of, from Mrs Blount, in which she is very much confirmed, & she has reason to think he would be a very serviceable & useful One to you. There is another desires to have him, but she hopes he will not be gone, if you determine speedily. I send this Letter by your direction you gave me last, tho the former went the same way: Another which I sent to Scarborow certainly miscarryed. I have caused a Book, which I've just republishd with considerable Improvements,†1 to be forwarded to you the best way I can, with your Brothers help; & if that fails to reach you, pray let me know to what hand, in York, or elsewhere, I may consign it? It is a pretty large Quarto. Pray, is there any thought of your Return to London the next Spring? If you and I were together, I should think the Winter shorter, & if I might expect you in Spring, I should find it less melancholy, tho I have Encrease of ailments every winter. And it is no idle Compliment to assure you, could our being together contribute in any degree to help or palliate what your Infirmities make you suffer, I would not make my own any Excuse from going to you, any whither within this Kingdom (and beyond it, I think you have now no Thoughts). Our Friend Mrs B. has all the warm wishes in the world for you, & whatever she may want, in her present Circumstances, to make her happy & easy, nothing I am persuaded would make her more so, nor does she wish any thing above your welfare, the Restoration of your health, & Continuance of your Friendship. As for mine, God knows, half the Effects of it are renderd impracticable or disagreable to her, by malicious Insinuations, & I cannot be of the use I wish to be to her.†2 Adieu, & God preserve you, dear Friend! Remember me to Mr Moyser. I am most faithfully & | constantly | Yours. | A. Pope.
Address: To | Hugh Bethel Esq. at Beswick | near | Beverley | Yorkshire.
Postmark: 29/OC
*POPE to ALLEN
30 October [1743]
Egerton 1947
London. Oct. 30th
I was beginning to fear you a little unkind, in not giving me a line in so long a time as since my Letter: But I check'd that thought, & entertaind
another Apprehension, that you might be ill, or relaps'd into that Indisposition which Mr Hook had told me attackd you while he was with you, but of which he assurd me you was recoverd when he left you. Last post I received the Account from Mr Warburton, that you have been extremely ill of an Inflammatory Fever, of which he had but Just heard from your clark that you are got quite out of danger, but still very weak. He made no doubt I had heard it, but says, he hopes I did not, till the danger was over; knowing the Pain it would have given me. Indeed he judges very truely, and I ought to thank all those about you for saving me from that Pain, tho' if they are so ignorant of my Concern for you, as to think it more necessary to give any man else an account of you, rather than me; I am not much obliged to them. I will venture to say my Esteem & affection for you are so very well known to all the world besides, by my constant & warm Declarations of them, that every Acquaintance I had at Bath must have concluded I knew of your Condition, or would infallibly have writ me word of it. I will answer for Dr Hartley, Dr Oliver, Mr Pearse, Lord Bathurst & several others, that this was their thought, or I had not been (till two days since) perfectly easy on your account. I now thank God, sincerely & from my heart, for the Removal of your Danger, and I hope for the Continuance of a Life so important to those who depend on your Charity, & to him who values your Friendship. I desire to have a more particular & Satisfactory account how you proceed, than is due to any one that loves you less: if it be a trouble to yourself, pray let any other hand afford it me; or I shall apply to some of those I have named above, for an account, without which I cannot really be content. May God have you in his Protection, now & for ever! & pray believe you have not a Friend who is more faithfully Yours. | A. Pope
Address: To | Ralph Allen Esqr | at | Bath.
Postmark: 1/NO
November
POPE to BOWYER
3 November [1743]
Add. 12113
Nov. 3d
Sir, — I am for a few days at Battersea at Lord Marchmonts, whither I've left orders for the Waterman to bring me any thing from you. I doubt not you'l be upon the Watch or set any other, in case of any Pyracy of the Dunciad: to inform me, who shall be ready to prosecute — As to the little Edition:†1 they have still not separated it right. The
Second Vol. must (as the Title you'l see implies) contain the Fourth book as well as the Memoirs, & Index. Then it will be right.
Pray close the account with Mrs Cooper of the Octavo's Second vol.†1 (no more of which should, I think, now be sold) and make all that remain correspond with the present Edition, ready to be re-publishd as we shall find occasion, the 2 together.
And let me know when you have vended 500 of the Quarto?†2
I thank you for all your Care & shall be ever | Your affect: humble Servant | A. Pope.
Address: To | Mr Bowyer, Printer, in | Whitefryers, near | Fleetstreet | London
Endorsement: Batse
*CHRISTOPHER SMART to POPE†3
6 November 1743
1797 (J. Holliday, Life of ... Mansfield, p. 25)
Pem. Hall, Cambridge, the 6th of Nov. 1743
Sir, — Mr. Murray having told me that it would, he thought, be agreable to you to see a good Latin version of your Essay on Man, and advised me to undertake it, though I know myself vastly unfit for such a task, I will attempt to render any number of lines that you shall be pleased to select from any part of the work, and as you approve, or dislike them, will pursue or drop the undertaking.
I am, Sir, with the utmost respect, yours, | C. Smart.
To | Alexander Pope, Esq.
I should not have presumed to have given you this trouble had not Mr Murray assured me that I might safely venture. I have made bold likewise to send you a specimen of a translation of your Essay on Criticism, verse the 339th.
*POPE to ALLEN†1
8 November [1743]
Egerton 1947
Novr 8th
I thank you for Mr Pryn's Letter.†2 Indeed I was extremely alarmed at hearing so late of your Condition, & joining together what Mr Hook had told me a month ago, with what Mr Warburton told me now, I apprehend was the truth, that you had a Relapse, which is always dangerous. I do not yet know (what I wish to do) what was the Nature of the distemper? Its Continuing still so bad as to be watch'd in the night, and what Mr Hook said of the Manner in which you were first seized (with a great Straitness & Oppression of Breath) makes me fear, the Fever threw itself on the Lungs, & was (tho' in a higher degree) of the Same Nature as mine, which after it left me in May last, has to this day continued upon my Lungs & breast, by intervals worse or better, but I see no prospect of being quite free from the Shortness of breath. I hope your Doctors have that Consequence in their eye, as well as taking off the fever. Pray do not give yourself the trouble of writing to me till you are as well as I wish you: Let Mr Pryn, or any one else do it; But let it (I beg you) be done, that I may have, as soon as possible, that news of you that I hope earnestly for. I am sorry I am so far from you, tho I know no Service I could render You, and tho you have better and nearer Comforters. I thank God for every Blessing & Comfort You have; & pray sincerely for your Health, that you may relish & enjoy them all. I doubt not you have had great Affliction in the unhappy Fate of Sir Erasmus Philips,†3 whom I knew you esteemd, & whom I believe to have been a very Worthy Man, or you would not have Esteem'd him. I have known Accidents of that melancholy kind, disorder your health: but All Events of this life must be submitted to Providence, which possibly does a worthy Man a Favor when it Shortens this life. And indeed No true Judgment can be made, here, of any Man or any Thing, with certainty; further, than that we think another man means well, and that we know we ourselves mean well. It is in this Situation that every honest man stands with respect to another, and upon which all well-principled Friendships depend. Such I hope will yours & mine always be, & always last, till that Hour in which it shall please God to seperate us from all that we now love, & give us (I trust) something better than the best we now enjoy. Adieu dear Sir & believe me Yours. | A. Pope
POPE to [? DR. OLIVER]†1
15 November [1743]
Sotheby Sale of 28 Nov. 1913
[This untraced letter is catalogued as item 21 of lot 355 in the following fashion: 'A.L.s. 3 pp., 4to, Twick'nham, Nov. 15, inquiring about Ralph Allen of Bath (the original of Fielding's Squire Allworthy), about whom he has been unable to obtain any information except that he was seriously ill, and detailing the remedies he has adopted for his own complaints, unpublished.']
*POPE to WARBURTON†2
[15 November 1743]
Egerton 1946
Your Partiality to me is every way so great, that I am not surprized to find you take it for granted, that I observe more Method, & write more correctly, than I do. Indeed in one of your Conjectures you are right, as I see by casting my eye on the Original Copy; but in the other, no such matter, the Emendation is wholly your own. (except that I find in the margin How-ere, instead of Well then, but cross'd over.) Upon the whole I will follow your Method, & therfore return the paper that you may accordingly refer the notes. [The mark N which I've put upon the margin is only to direct the Printer to such Notes as are in the Copies already printed.] and the beginnings of verses crost over again, only to shew you how they once did stand.] As for the other part, concerning the Extravagant Motives of Avarice, I meant to show those which were Real were yet as mad or madder than those which are Imaginary [vid. vers.
For tho' Such Motives Folly you may call,
The folly's greater to have none at all.†3
So I would let that remain as it is. — I am glad you proceed upon these Epistles first, as they will best joyn with the Essay on Man, of which & of the Essay on Crit. I will publish a small number,†4 however, very soon, to try the Taste of the Town: and then give (as soon as you can conveniently) the Notes on the Epistles all together, in one volume with the Essay on Man already printed off, (leaving the Pastorals, Rape of the Lock &c. to the last, to join with the Essay on Criticisme.)
I am glad you'l refresh the memory of such Readers, as have no other faculty to be Readers, especially of such Works as the Divine Legation.
But I hope you will not take too much notice of another & duller sort, those who become writers thro Malice, & must die whenever you please to shine out, in the Completion of the Work; which I wish were now your only answer to any of them: Except you'l make use of that short & excellent one, you give me, in the Story of the Reading-Glass.
The World here grows very busy. About what time is it, you think of being among us? My health I fear will confine me, whether in town or here, so that I may expect more of your Company, as one Good resulting out of Evil.†1 Adieu, dear Sir. Yours | A. Pope
Address: To the Revd Mr Warburton | at Newark
Frank: Free | Radnor
Postmark: 15/NO
*POPE to ALLEN
17 November [1743]
Egerton 1947
Twitnam Novr 17th
I have often found that Impatience, which my natural Anxiety for my Friends occasions, make me act unluckily. It was That, which carryd me two days sooner from Bristol to London, than was consistent with my seeing you at Bath (as I had proposed) in order to find Mr Bethel before he left London. And it is that, which (not hearing in two posts, the particulars I so earnestly enquir'd†2 of your Illness) made me, on Tuesday night last write to Dr Oliver;†3 who, by yours which I received that Wensday morning, I find was not employd as your Physician. What made me conclude him so, was, that I had just receivd a Letter from Dr Hartley without saying a word of you, which I wonder'd at. It was a very kind Letter to me with a Prescription, for which I beg you to thank him. — I give you many thanks for the account you send; I wish it were better, but am somewhat comforted to find there's no danger of any Asthma or Oppression on the breast, which I feel too much of, not to dread for another: I hope yours tho a very [p]ainful disorder, will leave no ill Remains behind it, of any sort. I'm surprized Mr Hook should tell me, as he did when first I saw him, that your Illness was in a manner over; nor since inform me You were worse. I never heard of it till Mr Warburton informd me, and that you still continued ill, & imployed Mr Prynne to give him accounts of you from Time to Time. Pray do but the same to me, (who (I am very sure) wish you Health, Ease, & happiness as much,) and
for any thing else, you need not take any pains to write yourself. Health is now your business: may God increase it daily, and bless all about you! There lies your Happiness; and I would not interrupt that, or your Quiet, for a moment. But you should know, there is not a man living, who from his concern for both, deserves better to be informed of your Enjoyment of them, than Dear Sir Your Affectionate real Servant | A. Pope.
Mrs Allen has my good wishes; and I dare say, the thing that both she and I most wish at this time, is the same.
Address: To Ralph Allen Esqr at | Widcombe, near | Bath.
Postmark: 17/NO
Notes by Allen: Novr 1 letter | 1 parcell and | news | half an | hour after 7
POPE to THE EARL OF ORRERY
17 November [1743]
The Pierpont Morgan Library
My Lord, — Your every Letter is a fresh proof of your Goodness to me, as it is unprovoked, & comes Voluntary. The truth is, I have such frequent reason to be ashamed that I never am: (like others of my Cotemporaries) Otherwise, there is not a Friend I have, but I should be asham'd ever to write to, having not done that duty so long. But what shall I say? I have a Heart, but I have no Eyes. I have the Spirit strong, but the Flesh is weak. I have nothing to do, & therfore want Time: This last is no paradox, but a common case. I know it is otherwise with you, & therfore I don't wonder you find no time to attend your Publick: Lady O. deserves more Attention than Great Britain. But what Absolute necessity to attend Mr & Mrs Ph——?†1 Do but send, or cause to be sent, me, an order for my Arrear,†2 and e'en stay from them, when My Jobb is done: Just the same Liberty, my Lord, would be given you by a Greater Man. But He desires nothing from you but Money, whereas in truth I desire it much less (let me want it ever so much more) than I do your Company. Therfore, (to be serious) if you must come after Christmass, let it alone and if you can contrive, instead of getting my whole Year pay'd (which expird last Midsummer) to cause them to pay up the Year & half at Christmas, it will be better on this particular account; that for the future the Year may be paid rather in Winter than Summer, as all the Trustees are more likely to be in town at that season.
I have just seen Lord Bathurst who gives me a very Satisfactory
account of you. I have made your Compliments to Lord Bolingbroke,†1 in whose company your Letter found me, and with whom I pass most of my time, & shall, while you continue absent. I believe you will see him when you come, for he proposes to stay a month or two. He is in very good health, busy about inclosing a Common, & improving his Estate here, about Battersea & Norwood. Would to God your Lordship's Estate was as near!
I am very ready to subscribe to the Print, but do'nt know where? or to whom? Is this all I can do at your request? I would subscribe to the making a new Giants Causeway, to get at you, over that Serbonian Bog in Somersetshire. I shall hardly live in Dukestreet,†2 till you come: It would at present be like shutting me up in a Monument, a place that would only put me in mind of what I have lost.
I am sorry to hear of the Dean.†3 My Letter must end, or it will grow melancholy. Pray my Lord, relieve me, and tell me as soon as you can, every thing that you can, which may please me; above all, that my Lady O. & yourself are in perfect health, & perfect happiness. If the first be not wanting, I will answer for the second.
I am ever | My Lord | Yours (in one word) | A. Pope.
Twitenham | Novr 17. 1743.
Address: To | the Right Hon. the | Earl of Orrery, at | Marston near Froom | Somersetshire
Endorsement: Mr Pope. | Nov: 17. | 1743.
Postmark: 19/NO
POPE to CHRISTOPHER SMART†4
18 November [1743]
Add. 6911 (transcript)
Twitnam Novbr 18th
Sir, — I thank you for the favour of yours I would not give you the trouble of translating the whole Essay you mention; the two first Epistles are already well done, & if you try, I could wish it were on the last, which is less abstracted, & more easily falls into Poetry & Commonplace. A few lines, at the beginning & the Conclusion will be sufficient for a Trial, whether you yourself can like the task, or not: I believe the Essay on Criticism will in general be the more agreable,
both to a young writer, & to the Majority of Readers. What made me wish the other well done, was the want of a right Understanding of the Subject, which appears in the foreign Versions†1 in 2 Italian 2 French & 1 German. There is one indeed in Latin Verse printed at Wirtembergh, very faithful, but inelegant, & another in French prose; but in these the Spirit of Poetry is as much lost, as the Sense & System itself in the others. I ought to take this Opportunity of acknowledging the Latin Translation of my Ode which you sent me, & in which I could see little or Nothing to alter, it is so exact. Believe me Sir, equally desirous of doing you any Service, & afraid of engaging you in an Art so little profitable, tho' so well deserving, as good Poetry. I am | Your most oblig'd | & Sincere humble Servant | A. Pope.
POPE to JONATHAN RICHARDSON†2
21 November [1743]
The New York Public Library (Berg)
Nov. 21st
Every thing was welcom to me in your kind Letter, except the Occasion of it, the Confinement you are under. I'm glad you count the days when I do not see you, but it was but half an one that I was in Town, upon business with Dr Mead, & return'd to render an account of it. I shall in the Course of the Winter probably be an Evening Visitant to you if you sit at home, tho I hope it will not be by Compulsion or Lameness. We may take a Cup of Sack together, & chatter like two Parrots, which are (at least) more reputable & manlike Animals than the Grasshoppers, to which Homer likens old men.
I am glad you Sleep better. I sleep in company, & wake at night:†3 which is vexatious. If you did so, you, at your Age, wou'd make Verses — as to my health, it will never mend, but I will complain less of it when I find it incorrigible.
But for your News of my quitting Twitnam for Bath, inquire into my Years, if they are past the bounds of Dotage? ask my Eyes, if they can See, & my nostrils if they can smell? To prefer Rocks & Dirt, to flowry Meads & silver Thames, & Brimstone & Fogs to Roses & Sunshine? When I arrive at these Sensations, I may settle at Bath;†4 of which I never yet dreamt, further, than to live just out of the Sulphurous Pit & at the Edge of the Fogs, at Mr Allen's for a month or
so. I like the place so little, that Health itself should not draw me thither, tho Friendship has, twice or thrice.
Having answerd your Questions, I desire to know if you have any Commands? If the first be to come to you, It's probable I shall, before you can send 'em so round about as to Twitnam, for I've lived of late at Battersea. Adieu. Yours Ever. | A. Pope.
Address: To Mr Richardson in | Queens Square, | Bloomsbury. | London.
Postmark: PAYD PENY POST.
POPE to SLINGSBY BETHEL†1
23 November 1743
Elwin-Courthope, ix. 161
Nov. 23rd, 1743.
I ought to have acknowledged the receipt of your hamper of Madeira which came very safe, and I caused to be delivered, as directed, to Mrs. Blount. You will please to charge it to her account when you send to her next. She is now at Lady Gerard's house (within three doors of that in which she formerly lived) in Welbeck Street, Oxford Chappel. I heard last post but two from your brother, who is not so well as before. God send him better! I hope soon to find some opportunity of meeting you, who am always, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate servant.
*POPE to ALLEN
23 November [1743]
Egerton 1947
Battersea. Nov. 23d
I write this in the utmost hurry; being ingaged in the most agreable Conversation I know, & the most instructive, (I think you'l guess Whose I mean)†2 but I would not let the Post go, without thanking you for yours, and assuring you, You are not in the wrong, to imagine I would preserve (not only the Form, but) the Strictness and Essence of our Friendship. I hope every day will improve upon the other, in increasing your health, and augmenting your happiness. I am truly sorry, Mrs Allen's Illness should follow yours; and it is with all the sincerity in the world, that I say, I wish her as well as your Self in that respect, and am really as much Concern'd for her Recovery, on which I know how much of your Welfare depends. Pray let me hear she is well again, if It be as I hope, that the nature of that distemper you mention is short & transitory, tho violent for the time it takes place. And at your leisure, acquaint me as usual with any thing that
pleases you, as One who takes part in that pleasure; and any thing that concerns you, as One who takes part in the Concern. I am truly Dear Sir | Your faithfull & affec|tionate Servant | A. Pope.
The inclosed I think I should not (in the Openness of Friendship) conceal from You. It was the answer he sent to my Enquiry after your Health (in which I supposed him your Physician, because Dr H. had said nothing of it) Your own Judgment will tell you, what Use, or whether you would make any use of it? I know you are unwilling to use any man hardly, if this be true. Or if it be only wrong headed in him, you'd probably set him right — I have no Correspondence with him, and will either take notice of it, or not, as you direct. Adieu.
Address: To | Ralph Allen Esqr at | Widcombe, near | Bath.
Postmark: 24/NO PENY POST PAYD THS
Endorsement (in Allen's hand): From Mr Pope | Novemr 23d | 1743 | Dr Oliver.
December
*POPE to ALLEN
8 December [1743]
Egerton 1947
I heartily thank you for acquainting me of Mrs Allens recovery, which I was anxious to know, & for the Confirmation of your owne, which no Friend you have can desire with more ardor.
I was no further concernd at what Dr Oliver said, than to conclude he had no Real Reason, & therfore sent you his letter, of which you will make What use you judge proper. I was sure you would not wrong, or even do the Shadow of a Wrong, to him or any one else, unless it were upon some Mis-information, or Mistake;†1 & then it would soon be set right, upon a few plain words, spoken (as I dare say yours always will be) with Truth and Openness. I do verily think he would not do or say any thing ill in your regard, he is certainly an ingenious, and (I think) a Charitable & friendly man, notwithstanding some little things, which you & I may wish mended, but few can mend, & all must overlook in one another. —— Your Letter of Novr 29. came not to me till Decr 6th I have lived so much at Battersea, & to & fro, from thence to London, that I am seldome or never of late at Twitnam, nor I believe shall, while my Lord Bolingbroke stays in England. I have nothing to do but to remove from one warm Fireside to another, at this smaller distance, & from one Friends Side to another. My Asthmatic Complaint necessitates me to this Confinement, for I can neither bear Cold nor Motion. Mr Warburton speaks of passing some time this Winter in Town. I wish for it, & upon asking him when? he tells
me he is willing it should be when You come hither. Pray have you fix'd your Time? that I may accomodate mine to it as much as possible. Whenever it is, I hope you'l take Twitnam in your Way, as usual, and be assured I am to you, & shall think you are to me, as we have been, in every regard: | Dear Sir, | Your faithfull & affectionate Servant | A. Pope.
Decr 8th
Address: To | Ralph Allen, Esq. at | Widcomb, nr | Bath.
Postmark: 8/DE
Endorsement (in Allen's hand): Decemr 8th | from Mr Pope, | to R A. 1743
*POPE to JONATHAN RICHARDSON†1
[1743/4]
The William Andrews Clark Library
You are the first Man I shall see when I am able to get to Town. I am in a very ticklish State, dreading any Cold, from the Asthmatic Complaint; which follows me close, or I had been sooner there. No Thanks are equal to your noble, & (what yet Ennobles it more) friendly Present. Believe I am indebted to you, not in part, but Whole, & All Yours. | A. Pope.
Twitnam. | Tuesday.
Address: To Mr Richardson
*POPE to JONATHAN RICHARDSON†2
20 December [1743] or 3 January 1743[4]
Bodleian Library
Pray tell Dr Mead, nothing but Illness had prevented my waiting on him for some days past. The first morning (to morrow, if I can get up so soon) I will see you both. | A. Pope.
Address: To | Mr Richardson
Endorsements: Jan. 3. 1743 | Decbr the 20th.